Tag Archives: Co-operative Group

The Price of Petrol

Posted on October 10, 2022 by Leigh Sparks

During the summer my pattern of buying petrol changed.  My semi-regular route takes me past two independent garages and two superstores.  Almost invariably over years Tesco has been the cheapest, often by some margin.  But this changed at some point, … Continue reading →

Posted in Asda, CMA, Competition, Competition and Markets Authority, Convenience stores, Cooperative Group, Independents, Petrol, Pricing, Tesco, Wholesaling | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Co-operative Group Results 2021

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Leigh Sparks

A few weeks ago I was asked to provide a short analysis on the Co-operative Group’s results for 2021. This has now been published in Coop News. I repost it below. If nothing else it shows the impact of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Availability, Community, Cooperative Group, Cooperatives, Covid19, Food Retailing, Membership, Retailing, Supply Chains | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Discount Food Stores in the UK: Kwik Save and Shoprite

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Leigh Sparks

Following on the recent post on Axe Stores, I have dug out some of my early slides on Kwik Save and Shoprite and their stores. I have written academically on both of these companies, quite some time ago.  For anyone … Continue reading →

Posted in Albert Gubay, Aldi, Axe Stores, Bridge of Allan, Cooperatives, Discounters, Food Retailing, Kwik Save, Lidl, Netto, Retail Failure, Retail History, Retailers, Shoprite, Wm Low | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Convenience and Local Shop Retailing (and the new @Coopuk @StirUni)

Posted on November 5, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

On the 22nd October the Co-op opened its latest convenience store, at the heart of the University of Stirling.  This was the first Co-op franchise in Scotland and is part of the growth of the Co-op and the convenience and … Continue reading →

Posted in Association of Convenience Stores, ATMs, Community, Consumers, Convenience, Convenience stores, Cooperative Group, Cooperatives, Covid19, Entrepreneurship, Food Retailing, Independents, Local Retailers, Post Offices, Scotland, Scottish Grocers Federation, Scottish Local Retailer, Scottish Retailing, Self-checkout, Small Shops, Uncategorized, University of Stirling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What Future for the Co-operative Group?

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Leigh Sparks

“This is a radical report aimed at a stuffy, conservative organisation which has fallen badly behind the times. After such a report, no movement could possibly sit back and do nothing.” One might be forgiven for thinking that the quotation … Continue reading →

Posted in Competition, Cooperative Group, Cooperatives, Governance, Retail Failure, Retailers | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What’s £3bn between retailers?

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Leigh Sparks

I make no apologies for returning to two businesses I have discussed before on this blog – namely Tesco and the Co-operative Group/Movement – after all, they were the leading retail stories in the days before Easter, and both look … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooperative Group, Cooperatives, Dark Stores, Food Retailing, Retailers, Tesco | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments